Dozens Arrested In Lake Worth Drug Sweep

LAKE WORTH — In one of the city's biggest drug-enforcement sweeps, local police and federal agents arrested scores of people Thursday on drug-dealing charges.

The investigation, which started in July, targeted alleged high-level dealers with long histories of offenses, although it swept up many others suspected of playing more minor roles in the local drug trade.

In all, Lake Worth police have charged 67 people and federal prosecutors at least 10, according to authorities. They also have seized two loaded guns, about $1,700 in cash and 400 grams of crack cocaine, said Lake Worth Police Lt. Susan Wellborn.

The bulk of the arrests came Thursday, as more than 40 police and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents fanned out to round up people from Delray Beach to Riviera Beach, Wellborn said.

"A lot of these are not Joe Blow on the corner," she said. "These are ongoing operations."

Authorities still are looking for other suspects. Already, at least 10 are facing federal drug-trafficking charges with sentences of as much as 40 years in prison, according to U.S. Attorney's Office spokeswoman Aloyma Sanchez.

Lake Worth police asked for federal help after fielding many complaints about unabashed drug dealing, Wellborn said. Police hope the high-profile investigation and heavy potential sentences will make more of a difference than a steady stream of lower-level busts.

"One little charge at a time [with a penalty of] 30 days, 60 days, a year -- it just doesn't get you anywhere," Wellborn said. "But this sort of thing, where you have some serious time ... at least it's going to slow [the drug trade] down a little bit and reduce the level of violence out on the streets."